Ruler.



PATENTBD V0G12. *18, -1904.

VP. GUMMING.

RULER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. zo. 1904.

. No MODEL.:

mmm

Patented October 18, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL OUMMING, OF KEYWEST, FLORIDA.

Ruilen.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent o. 772,696, dated October18, 1904.

Application iiled January 20, 1904. Serial No. 189,786. (No model.)

T all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, PAUL OUMMING, a citiv zen of the United States, and aresident lof Keywest, in the county of Monroe and State of Florida, haveinvented a new and Improved Ruler, of which the following is a full,clear, and eXact description.

invention relates to parallel or other rulers, and .is especiallyadapted to that class of parallelrulers that are used by sailors forlaying out courses, plotting their days work,- and-the like. Itis,however, of general use on rulers and is not confined toparallel-rulers.

Fig.3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3V; Fig. 4 is a side view ofa detail to i of Fig. 1. be described. Fig. 5 is an `end view of thesame, and Fig. 6 is a sectional view of another form of constructionwhich comes within the scope of my invention. Y

In the drawings my invention is represented by a parallel-rulerconsisting of the parts a c, connected'together by parallel linkspivoted to each part-cr a, as shown, so as to allowA the usual operationof a parallel-ruler. Upon each part a is placed a bar c, normally heldup from contact with the parts a by the springs or equivalent devices d.By pressing on a knob c on the bar c the latter will be forced down, sothat the lugs 0' on the bars c will press upon the elastic disks ff, asshown in Fig. 2, or so that the elastic disks f f', attached ,to thebars c, shall be forced down through the holes g in the parts a, asshown in Fig. 6. The latter is a modification which may be used withoutdeparting from the spirit moved, the springs Z will obviously raise thebars o and relieve the disks from their pressure, iso that'theinstrument may be easily moved along kto another position. y

'A Upon the top of each part a are fastened two guides/r, in suchposition as to cover the ends of the bars c and to prevent any movevmentthereof eXceptin a vertical direction and to limit that movement. Theseveral figures clearly show the preferred shape of these guides; butany other shape which will produce the functions described may beadopted withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention. A tongue t isshown on the back of each guide /r to prevent longitudinal movement ofthe bars c, while transverse movement isprevented by the vertical endsof the guides.

ich k are brackets secured to the parts a a and soshapedat 7c as topermit the necessary movement of the links on their pivots.

The parts described may be of any of the usual materials employed lininstruments of this kind; but I prefer to make the disks ff ofrubber andthel bars c and the'guides L of metal. The bars c may be fiat or may beangle-bars with flat ends.

From the above description it will be seen that an instrument of thekind mentioned provided with my invention will be very readily operatedand will not be liable to slip when it is desired to hold it inposition. It Will also be seen that when after holding the ruler inposition for use it is desired to release it and move'it along theposition of the hand doesfnot have to be changed. This accounts rendersthe instrument very simple and convenient. It will further be observedthat by pressure on one point, which can be applied by one finger orthumb, two points in the length of the part cr areforceddown. Thiscauses thev ruler to be securely held and prevented from swinging asWell as from longitudinal or lateral motion. In theold forms in whichpressure was applied directly on the 100 for the ease of operationmentioned above and Y surface of the ruler and transmitted through it atone point only the ruler, although held from rectilinear movement, wasliable to be easily swung about the point of application of pressure asa pivot, and the only way of guarding against this was to use twofingers for holding it in position. It will be further observed thatthere is little danger of this instrument getting out of order onaccount of the simplicity of the parts unless the parts are actuallybroken by careless usage.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patentl. The combination of a ruler, a bar supported aboveit, and disks passing through said ruler and adapted to be projectedbeyond the lower surface of the ruler by pressure exerted lon said bar.

2. The combination of a ruler, a bar supported above it, disks passingthrough said ruler and adapted to be projected beyond the lower surfaceof the ruler by pressure exerted on said bar, guides for said bar onsaid ruler, and a knob on said bar.

3. The combination of a ruler, a bar supported above it, disks passingthrough said ruler and adapted to be projected beyond the lower surfaceof the ruler by pressure exerted on said bar, and guides adapted toprevent movement of said bar except in a vertical direction.

4C. The combination of a ruler, a bar supported above it, disks passingthrough said ruler and adapted to be projected beyond the lower surfaceof the ruler by pressure exerted on said bar, and guides for said bar,comprising vertical end and side portions and a hori- Zontal topportion.

5. A ruler comprising two parallel parts, pivoted links connecting saidparts, means for preventing slipping, a yielding device upon each ofsaid parts, and a bar supported upon each of said yielding devices andnormally held out of contact with the ruler by said yielding' devicesand adapted to coact with said means.

6. A ruler comprising two parts, means for mounting said parts inparallel relation, a yielding device upon each of said parts, a barsupported upon each of said yielding devices and normally held out ofcontact with the ruler, a knob fixed to each of said bars, guides forsaid bars and elements adapted to be projected beyond the surface of theruler by said bars.

7. A ruler having a perforation therethrough, a disk resting in saidperforation and having its surfaces flush with the sui'- faces of saidruler, and means for projecting one surface of said disk beyond thesurface of the ruler.

8. In a ruler, the combination of a yielding device fixed thereto, a barsupported thereon, a knob on the top of said bar, guides upon the rulerand adjacent to the ends of said bar, vertical parts on `said guides toprevent longitudinal and lateral movement of said bar, a top also onsaid guides to limit but not prevent vertical movement of said bar, anddisks passing through said ruler and adapted to be forced downward bysaid bar.

9. In a ruler, the combination of a main part, a spring thereon, a barsupported by said spring, and two rubber disks passing through andlocated at diiierent points in the length of said main part, said barbeing adapted and constructed to force both disks simultaneously towardthe lower surface of said main part.

l0. ln a ruler, the combination of two main parts, links pivoted to eachof said parts and holding' them in parallel relation to each other, abar on each part, a single device on each bar for the application ofpressure, and a plurality of projections on the bottom of each of saidbars, adapted to be forced down simultaneously upon the application ofpressure at the said point.

ll. In a ruler, the combination of two main parts, links pivoted to eachof said parts and holding them in parallel relation to each other, abaron each part, a single device on each bar for the application ofpressure, and a plu ra-lity of rubber disks adapted to be forced downsimultaneously upon the application of pressure at the said point.

1n testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

PAUL CUMMING.

Witnesses:

VICTOR, ANDERSON, Ro nur KNowLus.

